Packing and preserving plug-tobacco



C. C. 'DULA.

PACKING AND PRESERYING PLUG TOBACCO. APPLICATION- FILE D AUG-20,1920.

1,355,658. Patented Oct. 12,1920.

5% 1 4. moan vs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALEB O. DULA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASS-IGNOR TO LIGGE'IT & MYERS TOBACCO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF. NEW JERSEY.

PACKING AND PR-ESERViNG- PLUG-TOBACCO;

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Application filed August 20, 1920. Serial No. 404,772.

To all w 710m it may concern Be it known that I, CALEB G. DULA, citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Packing and Preserving Plug-Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates generally .to

the art of packing and preserving tobacco and one of its objects is to a plug tobacco package especially for the small retail trade, although course not limited to Such trade. I

\Vith comparatively few exceptions plug tobacco has generally been sold to the trade in relatively large and somewhat expensive plug provide adapted it is of wooden cases especially constructed for the purpose. These cases are made in varying sizes to hold from about 6 to 48 pounds of plugs each. For economic reasons it is not practical to pack much less than 6 pounds of plugs in a wooden case of the kind required, and an ordinary wooden boX of cheap material will not answer the purpose because it will not keep the tobacco in proper condition for any great length of time. Small retail dealers cannot handle these relatively large cases of plug tobacco because it has been found that where the demand or call is such that the supply lasts for several weeks after the case has been first opened, the plugs become dry and brittle with the result that many of the de sired and required qualities or characteristics are lost, thus rendering it difficult for the dealer to dispose of his stock to advantage. Besides this, where the dealer is unable to obtain other than relatively large cases of plug tobacco, this fact alone often compels him to limit his stock to a very few brands, owing to the relatively large money investment, hence he is not able in many cases to satisfy his customers.

One of the prime objects of the present invention therefore is to provide an improved method of packing and preserving plug tobacco that will permit of a relatively small number of plugs or bars of tobacco being packed or inclosed in a comparatively cheap carton-like container that is constructed and treated in such a way that the tobacco will bemaintained in a fresh condition, and such as will enable the dealer to keep on hand a relatively large assortment of brands with a comparatively small money investment, to

the end that he his customers. 7

'Another important object of the invention is to provide a unit package of plug tobacco that may be easily and economically formed by hand or machinery in varying sizes; that will keep the tobacco in a fresh condition for a considerable period of time, and one that can be easily and quickly opened, and when opened in a prescribed manner, a carton-like container having an opening and closing lid will be provided.

To these and other ends the invention resides,

Firstly, in the method of packing and preserving plug tobacco to form a unit package, which consists in assembling a number of individual plugs in superposed relation and compressing them into the form of a block,'then folding a wrapper of relatively stiff absorbent paper about the block utilizing the latter as a form, to entirely inclose the block, with portions of the wrapper in overlapping relation, adhesively connecting predetermined overlapping portions of the said wrapper to retain the same about the block, and then treating the wrapped block with paraffin to seal the joints formed by the folds and render the wrapper impervious to air and moisture, whereby an hermetically sealed unit package of plug tobacco is provided the wrapper of which forms a substantial carton that may be severed along predetermined lines to form an opening and closing lid, and,

Secondly, a unit package of plug tobacco, comprising a number of plugs or bars of tobacco assembled and compressed to form, a block, and a covering of relatively stiff absorbent paper folded closely thereabout to entirelyenvelop the same, utilizing the block as a form, the overlapping portions of the paper being adhesively connected and the folds thereof completely sealed, and the paper covered package permeated by paraflin, the construction and arrangement being such that on severing the wrapper along predetermined lines a substantial carton will be formed having an opening and closing lid.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to understand and practise my said invention I will now describe a preferred embodiment thereof with the aid of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a unit will be better able to satisfy package of plug tobacco constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a-similar view of the same package having a wall of its carton-like container severed in a prescribed manner in orderto assemble in superposed relation a suitable number (as for instance a pound or two, more or less), of plugs or bars oftobacco and then compress them, preferably in a mold to form a block 10. I prefer to compress the assembled plugs into block form, first, because in this way the plugs will become more or less united to one another, which greatly facilitates the wrapperapply ing operation; and second, becauseI am thus able to make the blocks of uniform size notwithstanding variations in the thickness of the plugs themselves.

I then completely and closely inclose the block of assembled plugs within a wrappersheet 12, of relatively heavy, but readily foldable paper stock, preferably of an absorbent nature employing the block as a form. The paper may be folded about the block in many different ways, but I have found the wrapping method illustrated in Figs. 4: to 7 inclusive of the accompanying drawing to be admirably suited for the purpose. According to this method the wrapper sheet as 12, of relatively heavy, but readily foldable paper, is folded about a block of compressed plugs, as 10, so that an intermediate portion overlie an end Wall of the block, and other portions 1 1 and 1.5, will overlie opposite faces of the block as illustrated in Fig. 4-, wherein it will be seen that the free ends of the wrapper sheet 12 project beyond an end of the block. These projecting ends of the sheet are then folded in overlapping relation, against an end of the block, one up and the other down, and joined by adhesive as indicated at 16, Fig. 5. This operation leaves portions 1'7 and 18 of the wrappersheet projecting from opposite sides of the block and portions 19 and 20 projecting from opposite ends thereof. The portions 19 and 20 are then folded inward against the sides of the block adjacent the corners there'- of as shown in Fig. 6, and then the portions 17 and 18 are folded in overlying relation and adhesively 'Figs. 1, 2 and 7. This results in the block 13 of the sheet will connected as illustrated in being completely and closely inclosed within the permanently applied wrapper sheet and since overlapping portions of the latter are adhesively connected as described, a closefitting carton-like container is formed about the block of tobacco, the block itself being employed as a form during the wrapping operation, which-may be carried on advantagehusly by hand or by machinery.

After the block has been Wrapped, it is treated with paraffin by spraying or dipping, care being taken to cause the parafiin to thoroughly impregnate the wrapper sheet as well as enter the folds and close all the pores and joints so as to hermetically seal the package and thus keep the tobacco fresh. The hermetically sealed unitary package as thus formed and as illustrated inFig. 1,

may be readily opened by cutting the wrapper with a sharp instrument around three of the angular edges thereof to provide an opening and closing lid 21, as illustrated in Fig. 2. A face of the wrapper-sheet may have imprinted thereon the .trade mark brand of the tobacco as well as other indicia so that when the formed lid is opened out the said indicia will be displayed similar to the display on the lid of an ordinary cigar box. This makes the package especially adapted for show case and counter trade. The wrapper sheet mayalso be marked in any suitable way as by dotted line-s 22, Fig. 1, to indicate where it is to be cut in order to provide the opening and closing' lid described. Of course an entire wrapper wall may be removed if desired Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

From the foregoing connection with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that I have provided an entirely new and useful unit package of plug tobacco that willfill a long felt want in the trade, and one that will enable small dealers to'keep on hand at all times a larger assortment of brands at a minimum money investment, and wherein the plugs will be preserved in a fresh condition for a considerable period of time.

Inasmuch as the wrapper-sheet consists of relatively stout, but readily paper stock which is folded directly about the block of plugs, utilizing the latter as a form, the said sheet is made to fit the block very closely, thus preventing shifting movement of the block relative to its carton-like container, and thereby making a much stronger package. Furthermore the cartonlike container may be formed about the block very quickly and cheaply, thus effecting a great saving pver the methods now employed of packingthe individual plugs in boxes by hand.

foldable While I have illustrated the wrapper sheet as consisting of a single layer of relatively stifl but readily foldable absorbent paper stock, I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to such a single sheet, as obviously I may employ a sheet having the characteristics stated and also having a backing or liner of other sheet material, such as tin foil or a paraflin-coated sheet. I also contemplate wrapping the block of plugs in a supplemental wrapper of foil, glacine or paraffin paper prior to application of the wrapper-sheet 12. WVhen such supplemental wrapper is employed, there is little or no danger of the paraffin, which is applied to the outer wrapper by dipping or spraying, finding its way to the block itself. These described modifications are not illustrated, but the structure will'be readily understood from this description.

I claim:

1. The method herein described of packing and preserving plug tobacco to form a unit package, which consists in assembling a number of individual plugs of tobacco in superposed relation and compressing them into the form of a block, then folding a wrapper of relatively stifi absorbent paper about the block utilizing the latter as a form, to entirely inclose the block, with portions of the wrapper in overlying relation, adhesively connecting predetermined overlapping portions of the said wrapper to retain the same about the block, and then treating the wrapped block with paraffin to seal the joints formed by the folds and render the wrapper impervious to air and moisture, whereby a hermetically sealed unit package of plug tobacco is provided the wrapper of which forms a substantial carton that may be severed along predetermineda edges to form an opening and closin 1i Q g A unit package of plug tobacco, comprising a number of plugs assembled and compressed to form a block, and a covering of relatively stifi absorbent paper folded closely thereabout utilizing the block as a form, to entirely inclose the latter, the overlapping portions of the paper being adhesively connected and the folds thereof completely sealed, and the paper covered package permeated by paraflin, the construction and arrangement being such that on severing the wrapper along predetermined lines a substantial carton will be formed with an opening and closin lid.

Si ned at New ork city in the county of ew York and State of New York this 13th day of August A. D. 1920.

CALEB C. DULA. 

